June 10, 2008
Bo Diddley again ..
Since last week , I have been listening to Bo Diddley’s music .. and there are many subtle things you notice. This music is earlier than my generation – but it is timeless ..
Here .. from about 7 mins – Bo takes this song over to a wonderful tune ..
And in this song .. he does a strange moon walk type routine at about 2 mins .. maybe the world’s first ..
A talent much missed by guitar lovers worldwide ..
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June 2, 2008
RIP Bo Didley ..
The inspiration behind so many bands .. including U2, Buddy Holly and my favourite ZZ top who credit him for their unique Guitar riff and even teaching them to put fur on their Guitars!
Here is a clasic video in celebration of Bo's music
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March 22, 2008
Johnny Cash impersonates Elvis
I loved this! Enjoy!
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March 1, 2008
Operation Keep Sami in U.K : The Army wife who faces deportation
Please support this campaign if you can. There is a facebook group you can join at Operation Keep Sami in U.K
This seems to be a case of an over zealous bureaucrat. As an immigrant myselves to the UK- I think this is unfair on the family especially considering the unique circumstances. See more about their story on the BBC The Army wife who faces deportation
Outline from their facebook page below
>>>
This group has been created so I can keep you all updated on my deportation drama.
I am overwhelmed with the support, information and kind words I have been e-mailed and am VERY appreciative of even the smallest e-mail just stating you care. I may not reply but please don't think I am being ignorant I am simply throwing myself into doing what ever I can to keep my family together and am taking ALL advice!
Tell your friends, there friends and there friend's friends because someone somewhere knows something!
To quickly bring you all up to date, and to tell those who don't know, a bit about the situation. The details of my situation are as follows; and from now on I will also post any new information and each outcome.
I am Samantha, a Canadian national, who on October 25th 2004 married a British soldier (and full British citizen). We moved to and lived in Germany as Andy was stationed there and I obtained a Status stamp by the Britsih Embassy in Düsseldorf . This cost 15 Euro and allowed me in the country for 5 years. We were advised to apply for the relevant visa once we were at our new base in the UK(at a cost of £400 and have done so). Unfortunately, I have been refused the visa and it is highly likely I will need to leave the country and return to my country of origin (Canada) to reapply for the relevant visa.
The reason we were given for my being rejected is “You have applied for leave to remain in the United Kingdom on the basis of your marriage to Andrew Douglas Crozier. However the Immigration rules direct that a person seeking such leave is to be refused if they do not meet the requirements set out in the immigration rules as amended by HC 538. This includes that the applicant has limited leave to remain in the United Kingdom other then where that leave is of 6 months duration or less. On 30 October 2007 you were granted limited leave to enter as a visitor for a period of 6 months from 30 October 2007 until 30 April 2008 therefore you do not meet the requirements of having limited leave for a period of more than 6 months in the United Kingdom”. They also finished this letter with “You are not entitled to appeal this decision. Section 82 Nationality Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 does not provide a right appeal where an applicant still has leave to enter or remain in the United Kingdom and so is entitled to stay here.”
This all means because I entered U.K. LEGALLY like anyone was granted 6 months in the country, if I was smuggled in I would be ok! My children are now going to face the same problem going to Canada seeing as they are British citizens. What would happen if Andy passed away? I would be granted 90 days in our house to sort myself and move to Canada, as for the kids I don't even know what would honestly happen to them!
I have written to our local MP, Border of Immigration, and many Army personnel and not one person seems able to help me apart from telling me to go back to Canada pay £400 again and hope for the best! This will mean leaving my kids and Andy behind and a response can take up to a year.
Please help me fight and win this battle to stay with my family where I rightfully belong.
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January 10, 2008
Sir Edmund Hillary - RIP
A sad day especially for all New Zealanders - and I am one ..
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November 11, 2007
Happy Diwali!
A bit belated .. but Happy Diwali!
Image source : Kurmigroup
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Remembrance Sunday
Lets not forget .. Remembrance Sunday
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October 27, 2007
Mark Knopfler’s new album - Kill To Get Crimson is fantastic ..
I heard Mark Knopfler’s new album - Kill To Get Crimson
last weekend and it is superb
I always thought – a simplified version of Dire Straits(Knopfler + Guitar + lyrics) would be great.
This album achieves that brilliantly with a folk theme.
It’s almost like Knopfler on MTV unplugged .. and that would be fantastic as well. I have always believed that only real talent can do well on MTV unplugged due to its back to the basics format
Great album .. very simple and that makes it so great
Here is the link to buy it or you can get it from iTunes
and here is a teaser of the album itself ..
(Many thanks to Dr Andrea Back for recommending this to me)
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September 6, 2007
Luciano Pavarotti RIP
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August 10, 2007
On a day of market turmoil;words of wisdom from Warren Buffett
On a day of market turmoil, its inspiring to read Warren Buffett's words of wisdom.
Source: rediff
My favourite ones in bold.
Especially
1) 'It is optimism that is the enemy of the rational buyer.'
2) 'My idea of a group decision is to look in the mirror.'
3) 'You're neither right nor wrong because other people agree with you. You're right because your facts are right and your reasoning is right - that's the only thing that makes you right. And if your facts and reasoning are right, you don't have to worry about anybody else.'
4) 'There seems to be some perverse human characteristic that likes to make easy things difficult.'
5) 'It is not necessary to do extraordinary things to get extraordinary results.'
6) 'The business schools reward difficult complex behavior more than simple behavior, but simple behavior is more effective.'
Full list follows ..
'Never invest in a business you cannot understand.'
• 'Always invest for the long term.'
• 'Remember that the stock market is manic-depressive.'
• 'Buy a business, don't rent stocks.'
• 'Price is what you pay. Value is what you get.'
• 'Stop trying to predict the direction of the stock market, the economy, interest rates, or elections.'
• 'I never attempt to make money on the stock market. I buy on the assumption that they could close the market the next day and not reopen it for five years.'
• 'Wall Street is the only place that people ride to in a Rolls-Royce to get advice from those who take the subway.'
• 'Buy companies with strong histories of profitability and with a dominant business franchise.'
• 'It is optimism that is the enemy of the rational buyer.'
• 'As far as you are concerned, the stock market does not exist. Ignore it.'
• 'The ability to say 'no' is a tremendous advantage for an investor.'
• 'If you're doing something you love, you're more likely to put your all into it, and that generally equates to making money.'
• 'My idea of a group decision is to look in the mirror.'
• 'Most people get interested in stocks when everyone else is. The time to get interested is when no one else is. You can't buy what is popular and do well.'
• 'The smarter the journalists are, the better off society is.'
• 'Success in investing doesn't correlate with IQ once you're above the level of 25. Once you have ordinary intelligence, what you need is the temperament to control the urges that get other people into trouble in investing.'
• 'Diversification is a protection against ignorance. It makes very little sense for those who know what they're doing.'
• 'You're neither right nor wrong because other people agree with you. You're right because your facts are right and your reasoning is right - that's the only thing that makes you right. And if your facts and reasoning are right, you don't have to worry about anybody else.'
• 'There seems to be some perverse human characteristic that likes to make easy things difficult.'
• 'In the short run, the market is a voting machine but in the long run it is a weighing machine.'
• 'It's only when the tide goes out that you learn who's been swimming naked.'
• 'Somebody once said that in looking for people to hire, you look for three qualities: integrity, intelligence, and energy. And if they don't have the first, the other two will kill you. You think about it; it's true. If you hire somebody without the first, you really want them to be dumb and lazy.'
• 'There are three kinds of people in the world: those who can count, and those who can't.'
• 'It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to lose it.'
• 'The first rule is not to lose. The second rule is not to forget the first rule.'
• 'Wide diversification is only required when investors do not understand what they are doing.'
• 'Only buy something that you'd be perfectly happy to hold if the market shut down for 10 years.'
• 'We simply attempt to be fearful when others are greedy and to be greedy only when others are fearful.'
• 'Our favourite holding period is forever.'
• 'If past history was all there was to the game, the richest people would be librarians.'
• 'Why not invest your assets in the companies you really like? As Mae West said, 'Too much of a good thing can be wonderful.''
• 'Your premium brand had better be delivering something special, or it's not going to get the business.'
• 'You are neither right nor wrong because the crowd disagrees with you. You are right because your data and reasoning are right.'
• 'We do not view the company itself as the ultimate owner of our business assets but instead view the company as a conduit through which our shareholders own assets.'
• 'Accounting consequences do not influence our operating or capital-allocation decisions. When acquisition costs are similar, we much prefer to purchase $2 of earnings that is not reportable by us under standard accounting principles than to purchase $1 of earnings that is reportable.'
• 'Unless you can watch your stock holding decline by 50% without becoming panic-stricken, you should not be in the stock market.'
• 'The critical investment factor is determining the intrinsic value of a business and paying a fair or bargain price.'
• 'Risk can be greatly reduced by concentrating on only a few holdings.'
• 'Much success can be attributed to inactivity. Most investors cannot resist the temptation to constantly buy and sell.'
• 'Lethargy, bordering on sloth should remain the cornerstone of an investment style.'
• 'An investor should act as though he had a lifetime decision card with just twenty punches on it.'
• 'An investor needs to do very few things right as long as he or she avoids big mistakes.'
• 'Turnarounds' seldom turn.'
• 'The advice 'you never go broke taking a profit' is foolish.'
• 'It is more important to say 'no' to an opportunity, than to say 'yes.'
• 'It is not necessary to do extraordinary things to get extraordinary results.'
• 'An investor should ordinarily hold a small piece of an outstanding business with the same tenacity that an owner would exhibit if he owned all of that business.'
• 'It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you'll do things differently.'
• 'In the business world, the rearview mirror is always clearer than the windshield.'
• 'A public-opinion poll is no substitute for thought.'
• 'It's far better to buy a wonderful company at a fair price than a fair company at a wonderful price.'
• 'The business schools reward difficult complex behavior more than simple behavior, but simple behavior is more effective.'
• 'Look at market fluctuations as your friend rather than your enemy; profit from folly rather than participate in it.'
• 'The investor of today does not profit from yesterday's growth.'
• 'Of the billionaires I have known, money just brings out the basic traits in them. If they were jerks before they had money, they are simply jerks with a billion dollars.'
• 'I never attempt to make money on the stock market. I buy on the assumption that they could close the market the next day and not reopen it for five years.'
• 'I don't look to jump over 7-foot bars: I look around for 1-foot bars that I can step over.'
• 'I always knew I was going to be rich. I don't think I ever doubted it for a minute.'
• 'We enjoy the process far more than the proceeds.'
• 'You do things when the opportunities come along. I've had periods in my life when I've had a bundle of ideas come along, and I've had long dry spells. If I get an idea next week, I'll do something. If not, I won't do a damn thing.'
• 'I buy expensive suits. They just look cheap on me.'
• 'Let blockheads read what blockheads wrote.'
• 'I do not like debt and do not like to invest in companies that have too much debt, particularly long-term debt. With long-term debt, increases in interest rates can drastically affect company profits and make future cash flows less predictable.'
• 'My grandfather would sell me Wrigley's chewing gum and I would go door to door around my neighbourhood selling it. He also sold me a Coca-Cola for a quarter and I would sell it for a nickel each in the neighbourhood, so I made a small profit. I was always trying to do something like this.'
• 'A public-opinion poll is no substitute for thought.'
Posted by ajit at 11:03 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
August 9, 2007
You Tube video: The battle of Kruger - the best of user generated content!
Being a great fan of National Geographic and Discovery channels, this amateur YouTube video was one of the best I have ever see ..
This is what user generated content/YouTube is all about in my view!
I am glad it is fast becoming one of the most watched videos of all times.
Its fascinating stuff .. if you have not seen it before ..
I could not predict the result!
Enjoy the The battle of Kruger ..
BBC link here(spoiler for the end .. )!
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June 30, 2007
West end clubs – the music must go on
Inspite of the threats to our society, .. the music must go on!
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April 5, 2007
Welcome home to the Royal Navy crew members!
from the BBC
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April 2, 2007
Advice to Mobile Operators (Vodafone)– Increase touch points with your customers(me!)
Here is a simple insight based on a true conversation.
I have two phones: A Vodafone blackberry and a Three N73
I have been a long time Vodafone customer – and a very high value Vodafone customer as that - considering my phone bill(mainly due to my travels)
Recently, I met a senior Vodafone exec at an event where I was speaking. We both started speaking and he was happy to know that I was a Vodafone customer.
Oddly enough, in spite of being a long term Vodafone customer and a high revenue customer from Vodafone’s point of view, that was the longest anyone from Vodafone had spoken to me.
(with the exception of my good friend Daniel Appelquist - a top notch guy!)
The problem – as I explained to him – is as follows:
a) Vodafone is an excellent Operator – which pleased him no end :)
b) But .. because of that, I rarely have the need to call Vodafone – because it works
c) In fact, works very well globally (including roaming data – practically anywhere in the world with the exception of South Korea(and that’s due to CDMA – I doubt if any non Korean phone works in Korea))
d) I don’t use Vodafone Live(who does?) No smily from Voda exec :(. Maybe I am the wrong demographic, and I keep reminding them of things like fixed rate price plans :) - but I am no fan of Vodafone Live
e) Apparantly, he assured me that a 'light will flash' when I call(High value customers call). Reassuring to know - but not very useful from a new services point of view - and thats assuming I call.
So, my question to him was: If Vodafone introduces a new service, how will I know?
I won’t
There is an irritating touch point – ‘Welcome to the Vodafone network’ when I am roaming – that adds a bit of value – but not a lot really.
So, the question to Operators must be – how can they increase their interaction with Customers – and do it tactfully? This leads to many other questions – leading to Trust etc etc ..
However, one of the most hated Operators until last year, Three .. has done a fantastic job of re inventing itself and has won many fans – including me(The future is bright - the future is Three)
If they (and by that – I mean any Operator) can work this out i.e. the ability to work with the best customers, interact with bloggers, be human, be open to feedback etc etc .. they have a good chance of succeeding in the next wave of Mobile data apps.
PS: Ofcourse, Daniel Appelquist does a fantastic job of being accessible from a Vodafone standpoint - and it's great that Vodafone has someone like Dan who tirelessly works across the industry. But, the ordinary customer still would not be able to liase with an Operator with ease.
Posted by ajit at 1:38 PM | Comments (4) | TrackBack
March 29, 2007
We are having some problems due to a movable type plug-in
We are having some problems due to a movable type plug-in .. Hopefully we will fix it tomorrow. Apologies for the inconvenience caused. If you are a new blogger, Go for wordpress not movable type!
Posted by ajit at 8:35 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
We are having some problems due to a movable type plugin ..
We are having some problems due to a movable type plug-in .. Hopefully we will fix it tomorrow. Apologies for the inconvenience caused. If you are a new blogger, Go for wordpress not movable type!
Posted by ajit at 8:17 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
We are having some problems due to a movable type plugin ..
We are having some problems due to a movable type plug-in .. Hopefully we will fix it tomorrow. Apologies for the inconvenience caused. If you are a new blogger, Go for wordpress not movable type!
Posted by ajit at 8:17 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
We are having some problems due to a movable type plugin ..
We are having some problems due to a movable type plug-in .. Hopefully we will fix it tomorrow. Apologies for the inconvenience caused. If you are a new blogger, Go for wordpress not movable type!
Posted by ajit at 8:17 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
A note on comments on this blog ..
Hello
I have currently disabled comments on this blog due to excessive SPAM. We are working on a Movable type plugin and hopefully that will work. Movable type's own spam protection mechanism is indeed very poor. (My own comments end up as 'junk' and many other people have lost comments on this blog)
Hopefully the plugin should fix this
Thanks for your feedback and if you do have a comment, please email me at ajit.jaokar at futuretext.com and I shall post it manually.
Posted by ajit at 11:01 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
March 27, 2007
In support of Kathy Sierra and the Scobles
A brief post to express support for blogger Kathy Sierra and also Robert and Maryam Scoble.
I think Robert Scoble sums it up very well when he says
It’s this culture of attacking women that has especially got to stop. I really don’t care if you attack me. I take those attacks in stride. But, whenever I post a video of a female technologist there invariably are snide remarks about body parts and other things that simply wouldn’t happen if the interviewee were a man.
It makes me realize just how ascerbic this industry and culture are toward women. This just makes me ill.
I have never met Kathy Sierra but I believe that the physical and sexual threats against her are deplorable. Robert and Maryam Scoble are people who I regard as personal friends. They are wonderful people and it’s sad to see them threatened.
You can read more about it on Robert’s post
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January 28, 2007
Iraq: Disturbing picture ..
Sometimes you see a picture in a news bulletin .. and it sticks with you for the rest of the day(and probably will for a lot longer). Inspite of all the horrors we see in the news today, this was one such picture I saw today – no child should have to go through this! Very disturbing!
Inspite of being in Iraq, this girl looks almost ‘Indian’ to me from a typical Indian school – except for the surrounding settings.
I guess it shows that as human beings, we will empathise will people all over the world – inspite of the divisive forces of evil.
The logic of bombing a girl's school escapes me!
Source: Pupils killed as Iraq schools hit
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January 24, 2007
I am in Dusseldorf this Fri and weekend ..
Hello
I am in Dusseldorf this Fri and weekend. If you want to catch up, please email me at ajit.jaokar at futuretext.com
Posted by ajit at 6:34 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
January 11, 2007
Chetan Sharma in the New York Times ..
Very happy to see OpenGardens contributing blogger and prominent forumoxford member Chetan Sharma at the NY Times.
Great stuff Chetan!
Posted by ajit at 12:32 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
January 4, 2007
Girl with a one-track mind
I saw this post in Susan Mernit’s blog and after reading it a few times and looking at the links there in, I have decided to cross link her post here about (Please note the following links to a blog with some adult content) about Sunday Times acting news editor Nicholas Hellen
There are four reasons for doing this
a) An individual’s privacy should be respected – especially a journalist threatening to publish details about a person’s address, their mother’s profession etc is not acceptable. It is this sort of behaviour that gives journalism a bad name and victimises individuals(who have little resources against the might of big media).
b) Blogosphere can act as a counterpoint to big media – and I hope the Zoe Margolis, aka Abby Lee(the author of ‘The Girl with a one track mind’) will benefit from this
c) I respect Susan Mernit views as well. I see this as a form of activism from Susan’s side – and I support that
d) This blogger activism may be a part of a larger trend and I support want to support that trend ; for instance Robert Scoble’s involvement in the John Edwards campaign. By empowering blogosphere and bloggers at the expense of big media, lawyers, Governments etc, I believe society and individuals (who are often defenceless against onslaughts of media, government etc) can benefit. That’s the same reason for supporting Boing Boing (Xeni ofcourse does fine on her own - but it was still a means to show support!)
In fairness, If I see an official response from Sunday Times, I will link that here as well.
PS: I have not read the book Girl with a one track mind. I will probably not get coverage for my own book in the Sunday times (Mobile Web 2.0 ) after this! But still, the point needs to be made!
Posted by ajit at 8:40 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
January 2, 2007
Apologies for mis-spelling Steve Rubel’s surname!
Just realised that I misspelled Steve Rubel ’s surname in the post Inspired by Chicken Run: Google Reader, One Web, Mobile Web 2.0 and Metadata.
My apologies Steve. I always say that with a name like Ajit Jaokar, I should be careful of how I spell other people’s second names :)
Wish you a Happy New Year.
Posted by ajit at 12:25 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
January 1, 2007
Welcome to the EU Bulgaria and Romaina ..
Considering one of the contributing bloggers on the OpenGardens blog is originally from Blugaria, (Simeon Simeonov), I am especially happy to welcome Bulgaria and Romania to the EU.
A good day for us here in Europe ..
Posted by ajit at 2:45 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
December 31, 2006
Yuvi: A new blogging star is born!
I thought the last post: Inspired by Chicken Run: Google Reader, One Web, Mobile Web 2.0 and Metadata .. would be my last post for this year .. but I could not miss this post about a 15 year old boy called Yuvi from Chennai, India who has done some stunning analysis on Robert Scoble's blog.
See Robert's post and Christian Long's analysis which explains more!
Posted by ajit at 10:28 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
Wish you a Happy New Year!
Thanks for all your support in the year for the OpenGardens Blog
Source: http://jeffline.jefferson.edu/SML/resources/journal-notes/happy-new-year.gif
Posted by ajit at 6:05 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
December 25, 2006
Merry Christmas and greetings for the holiday season ..
Wish you a Merry Chrismas and greetings for the holiday season
Image source Arnes
Posted by ajit at 5:54 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
James Brown .. RIP ..
Soul godfather James Brown dies
Posted by ajit at 5:45 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
December 21, 2006
Shane Warne ..
Shane Keith Warne A legend retires .. Will be missed!
Image source: cricket.org
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December 4, 2006
Letter to Santa ..
By Dr Paddy Byers
Here’s one for the marketeers ..
Today I took delivery of my (7 year-old) daughter’s Xmas list; I assume she thought I needed to pre-process it before passing it on. There were some things on there that could be quite tricky to fulfill - eg a baby sister - but this caught my eye:
A mobile phone (Nokia if possible).
Now, none of her peers have a phone, and I don’t think anyone she knows has a Nokia. So how come she wants one?
I can only imagine it is down to Nokia’s current high profile marketing campaign associated with the X Factor (a TV talent contest un the UK like American Idol, including Simon Cowell). The campaign is ostensibly aimed at music lovers (with the tagline “Love your music, love your Nokia) but it is obviously having a wider impact, and is taking advantage of the very broad (and highly engaged) audience to build brand awareness with a completely new constituency.
The show and the campaign are unusually well-matched to one another – there are many cases where the link between the sponsor and the show is tenuous at best – but I have to say I’m surprised at the impact. Congratulations to the marketeers if it really is down to this.
The other thing that puzzled me: "... if possible". Why only "if possible"? I always thought Santa could get hold of anything, especially seeing as he will pass right by Espoo en route from Lapland to the UK.
Well .. Christmas is in the air as you can see!
Posted by ajit at 11:05 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
November 18, 2006
Milton Friedman, 94, Free-Market Theorist
Milton Friedman, 94, Free-Market Theorist died last week.
A great mind who championed the cause of free markets and free economies!
See this NY times article about his achievements.
Thanks to my good friend and fellow Libertarian Judy Breck for pointing this out to me
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October 21, 2006
Happy Diwali ..
Wishing you all a Happy Diwali!
Image source: http://events.stanford.edu/events/13/1301/diwali%20diya.jpg
Posted by ajit at 5:16 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
October 1, 2006
Meeting up in the USA - Santa Clara, Stanford, Raleigh
Hello all
I will be in the USA for the next two weeks. Schedule as below. If you are attending these events, would be great to catch up. Alternately, if you are nearby, we could meet as well.
I am speaking on Oct 3 at Ajaxworld (Santa Clara) a more detailed link of all sessions HERE
Then at Stanford university at the Digital Vision program on Oct 5. My talk is on Mobile Social Software
>>> Edit ...
Feedback from Stanford / Karen on MoSoSo talk
<<< End Edit
and finally at the CED Tech 2006 in Raleigh North Carolina where I am on a Web 2.0 panel.
I try to avoid driving when I am in the States(which restricts me to hotels unfortunately!). So, I am at the Hyatt Regency Santa Clara , Sheraton Stanford Palo Alto and and the historic Carolina Hill Chapel Hill
There may be a short visit to Boston if I can make it in my schedule.
Please email me at ajit.jaokar at futuretext.com if you want to catch up
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September 30, 2006
David Cameron launches a blog ..
David Cameron(UK opposition leader - Conservatives) launches a blog today. This is a good development. I especially like the idea of adding a David Cameron widget. Technically, its exactly on the right track as I will indicate in forthcoming post soon about Widgets.
Posted by ajit at 11:47 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
September 28, 2006
Blogging: Of Tom and Jerry and craving the friction of a human being ..
I have always included Tom and Jerry in my profile.
Indeed, I am a fan of animation in general and ‘Tom and Jerry’ in particular.
But when asked, why was it on my profile, I never had a good answer.
My best attempt was: Blogging is not ‘corporate’. Including personal preferences in my profile was my way of saying : I am an individual and not a conformist in some large company.
Clearly people notice, because I get a lot of comments about the Tom and Jerry, Tintin, Asterix etc .. especially when people meet me at an event face to face for the first time.
Why was something I was doing almost for fun attracting so much attention?
I recently read The world is flat and suddenly on Page 255, it dawned on me why this was so powerful especially in blogosphere.
In that section, Thomas Friedman describes his frustration of a (supposedly friction free) encounter with an automated directory information service and says he ‘craved the friction of another human being’
He goes on to describe the ‘death of a salesman’ where a veteran salesman laments how in the old days, the salesmen would drop by and give their customers a few ‘Vikings’ tickets and consequently that when the world goes ‘flat’ its hard to create a bond with email and streaming Internet
That’s it!
That’s why people remember the Tom and Jerry and the human elements when they meet me almost as much as they know what I write about. Because they know that there is a person at the end of the blog.
In an increasingly automated world, the Tom and Jerry provides them the craving / friction of a real human being!
The image is from the 1945 classic ‘Quiet Please’ One of my favourites!
Quiet Please! was a 1945 Tom and Jerry cartoon which won the 1945 Academy Award for Best Short Subject: Cartoons. It was produced by Fred Quimby and directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, with music by Scott Bradley. The cartoon was animated by Kenneth Muse, Ray Patterson, Irven Spence, and Ed Barge.( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quiet,_Please!)
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September 21, 2006
I am speaking at Stanford University's Digital Vision program (Oct 5)
I am very happy to be speaking at the Digital Vision program at Stanford University on Oct 5. I will be speaking on MoSoSo (Mobile social software) and its indeed an honour to be invited to speak at Stanford
The Reuters Digital Vision Program (RDVP) is a Stanford center for social entrepreneurship that applies the principles of high-tech innovation to create product and service concepts that empower communities worldwide.
Many thanks to research fellow Dr Adam Tolnay and Karen Coppock, Director, Industry Collaboration for their help in making this happen!
Very much looking forward to this!
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September 19, 2006
Our thoughts are with people in Thailand ..
Our thoughts are with people and readers in Thailand on account of developments there
A lovely place and great people, where I was on holiday just a few weeks ago.
Hope the situation does not deteriorate further ..
Image source: The BBC
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September 10, 2006
Today is a Judy Breck’s seventieth birthday ..
- Judy - circa 1937
Today, my good friend Judy Breck celebrates her seventieth birthday today. If you have never had the pleasure of knowing Judy, I recommend you visit her blog - goldenswamp - and/or read her books
Her enthusiasm is infectious! And her scope of experience is vast – both in the sense of work(see her site) but also her personal experiences which make for some fascinating discussion(how many American presidents she has worked with? I forget!) ..
I met Judy in New York earlier this year. I bought an autographed copy of her book.
Judy calls me a ‘soul mate’; basically because we share a similar philosophy and outlook on life. And I think that’s very true.
I only wish I would have the same outlook on life as she does now when I am seventy
Any comments posted her, I shall convey to Judy. But please have a look at her site or read her books!
Happy birthday Judy!
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September 4, 2006
I am speaking at the 3rd Annual Mobile Youth Services Forum 2006
Hello all
I am speaking at the 3rd Annual Mobile Youth Services Forum 2006 on Sep 8 in London. Details as per below. If you are attending this event, happy to meet up with you. Please email me at ajit.jaokar at futuretext.com
Key Speakers
Pandelis Eliopoulos, Nordic Marketing Manager, 3 SWEDEN.
Hans Christian Fleischer, Head of DJUICE, TELENOR.
Fiona Bosman, Usage Marketing Manager, RED BULL UK.
Joel Berger, VP Marketing and New Business, MTV.
Ulrich Heider, Senior Marketing Manager Prepaid, VODAFONE GERMANY.
Key Topics
Effective branding to the youth market
Safe and responsible marketing to children
Creating communities in the youth market
Exploring the latest games
MVNOs in the youth market
Key Features
Find out how to boost your revenue through youth content services
Learn from the experiences of big brand companies outside of the telecoms industry
Get to grips with a changing market and learn to enhance customer loyalty
Benefit from in depth discussions with industry experts
Event details
This high level conference will gather together a range of experts in the field of mobile youth to address the latest trends, technologies and ideas in the market. There will also be the opportunity to hear from experts outside of the telecoms industry who have pioneered successful marketing campaigns to the youth. The 3rd Annual Youth Mobile Services Forum aims to explore the most successful marketing and product strategies to enable all those involved in the telecommunications market to maintain competitive advantage in this rapidly changing market.
This forum will address the key issues and will involve an unparalleled speaking panel of visionaries and relevant senior executives from leading companies sharing their experiences
Speakers
Tomi T Ahonen, Bestselling author and 3G Consultant, .
Pandelis Eliopoulos, Nordic Marketing Manager, 3 SWEDEN.
Hans Christian Fleischer, Head of DJUICE, TELENOR.
Fiona Bosman, Usage Marketing Manager, RED BULL UK.
Joel Berger, VP Marketing and New Business, MTV.
Ulrich Heider, Senior Marketing Manager Prepaid, VODAFONE GERMANY.
Al Gosling, CEO and Founder, EXTREME GROUP.
Saso Savic, Head of Payments, MOBITEL.
Joaquin Flores Zapata, Youth Marketing Manager, TELEFONICA MOVILES.
Antonina Armashula, Youth Segment Manager, KYIVSTAR.
Damien Brady, CEO, EXTREME MOBILE.
Thomas Husson, Mobile Analyst, JUPITER RESEARCH.
Ave Wrigley, Head of New Media Development, ITN.
Peter Miles, CEO, SUBTV.
Dr Tony Houghton, Customer Experience Consultant , BT.
Andrew Lowenstein, VP of Business Development, FIREFLY MOBILE.
Jonathon Arber, Analyst, OVUM.
James Foxx, CMO, AMP'D MOBILE.
Andrew White, CEO, ENFORA EUROPE JV.
Scott Weeman, Senior Director of Global Licensing and Products, BUONGIORNO VITAMINIC.
Larry Moores, Senior VP Global Business, SK WIDERTHAN.
Adam Tolnay, Social Entrepreneur and Lecturer, STANFORD UNIVERSITY.
Graham Brown, CEO, WIRELESS WORLD FORUM.
Ajit Jaokar, CEO, FUTURETEXT.
Posted by ajit at 8:08 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
The crocodile hunter Steve Irwin is dead!
A very sad day indeed .. Having lived in Aus / NZ - this is a sad loss!
'Crocodile Hunter' Irwin killed
Australian environmentalist and television personality Steve Irwin has died during a diving accident.
Mr Irwin, 44, was killed by a stingray barb to the chest while he was filming an underwater documentary in Queensland's Great Barrier Reef.
Paramedics from the nearby city of Cairns rushed to treat him at the scene but were unable to save him.
Mr Irwin was known for his television show The Crocodile Hunter and his work with native Australian wildlife.
from the BBC
Image source: http://www.freddynietzsche.com/images/pic_steve_irwin.jpg
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August 31, 2006
Just coming back from holiday ...
Sorry for the radio silence .. Just coming back from holiday. At Bangkok international airport waiting for Swissair flight to London via Zurich.
Had the pleasure of meeting Callum Laing expat brit and a great source of info on Thailand for all of us in London
Also thanks to Andy Stephenson (Third secretary - Trade and Investment) of the British Embassy in Bangkok for the lovely lunch at a French restaurant round the corner from the British embassy(ironically on a road called 'Wireless road'!)
I have known Andy for a few years now. He and his team at the foreign office are doing some great work building bridges between British and Thai companies ..
He has promised to send me more information about the work his team is doing and I shall post it here since I suspect it is of interest to many readers of this blog
More soon from (cold!) London
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August 18, 2006
Lunch with Martin Geddes ..
It was a pleasure to have lunch with Martin Geddes and Chris Barraclough of STL partners yesterday. We have both respectively referenced our work a lot. So, it was a great time to finally meet up in person and swap ideas. Watch this space for a blog about the synergies of Mobile Web 2.0 (my book) and Telco 2.0 (Martin/STL initiative)!
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August 10, 2006
Well done to our security forces ..
Well done to the British security forces for foiling the terrorist plot today. Keep up the good work!
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July 11, 2006
A sad day for mumbai(Bombay) ..
multiple bomb blasts kill more than 139 people in Mumbai - the city where I was born and grew up.
Posted by ajit at 6:44 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
July 7, 2006
Andy Hayman CBE
Today is 7/7 - a sad day for us here in the UK due to the terrorist incidents a year ago. Let us pay our tributes to the victims of this atrocity alongwith the rest of the nation and the world.
This is also a time to remember the work of our security services. Recently, Andy Hayman, Assistant commissioner of Police, was awarded a CBE for his work on 7/7. This is a great recognition inspite of the subsequent mistake in another operation.
If we don't recognise the men and women on the front line and support their work, the forces of terror will win.
keep up the good work Andy ..
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June 10, 2006
The Boing Boing C & D order: a viral marketing campaign?
Amazing news about Boing Boing getting a C and D order from a silly law firm for ‘anticipating the possibility of unauthorized streaming and downloading of FIFA World Cup matches’
But why Boing Boing?
Here are my conspiracy theories..
a) This is an advertising gimmick/viral marketing campaign.. When I was speaking in NY early this week, people did not seem very interested in the world cup. By taking such action against a prominent US blog site, this is an attempt to ‘raise awareness’ shall we say ..
b) Someone thought that ‘Boing Boing’ = sound of bouncing balls = soccer = C and D??
To many who have worked at law firms, this option is not too far fetched!
Anyway .. This may well be an own goal for the law firm in question. (I don’t want to link to them and provide them extra coverage : because it may well be an advertisement for the law firm itself?
In which case, is it legal?
A hint – the firm has something to do with tomato ketchup and trousers ..
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June 2, 2006
Mobile strategies/Tom Weiss in the Guardian ..
One of our books (Mobile Strategies ) was featured in the Guardian (print edition) last week.
“If you have a decent knowledge of the subject, then this could be an extremely useful book” – The Guardian 26th May 2006 on the mobile strategies book
Tom has worked hard to write this book and his first hand experience working for a Telecoms operator, written in his unique style, makes insightful reading.
I would also like to thank the team working with futuretext on this book including Phil Hutton at pmhprint , Maggie Baldry at VEP and Laurence/Alison Wellman at perfectblue
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May 31, 2006
My views - The Tim O Reilly/web 2.0 issue ..
I first heard about the web 2.0 trademark issue on Friday evening. It was emailed to me by someone in Ireland – a country I am a frequent visitor to (more on that later). My first reaction was .. ‘Oh f***!’ I am about to release a book on mobile web 2.0 .. and if ‘web 2.0’ itself is service marked ..
But one look at the actual letters on blogosphere convinced me otherwise .. This applied only to conferences. I was not creating a conference. I thought nothing of it ..
Over the next few hours, following a number of emails and blogs, it became quickly apparent that this was seen to be a major issue .. and I did not understand why it should be an issue ..
I still don’t understand what the fuss is all about .. Let me explain ..
I was one of the few people who voiced (under my own name – not anonymously) – the view that Tim deserves at least an opportunity to explain his point of view. Having now heard from Tim, I still endorse Tim O Reilly, his vision and his company.
Here is why ..
a) Tim O Reilly was effectively sentenced in absentia. No one deserves that – not least someone who has a good track record in the industry. They at least deserve a chance to put their view point before being condemned
b) The O Reilly corporate response, inadequate as it may be, was not a ‘fob off’ because it had a definite date by which time they said Tim would be back(Monday). For example we heard nothing by Wednesday or a definite date not been given, the corporate response would have been a cover up – not so in this case
c) O Reilly was the ‘wrong’ target .. It was CMP who has the service mark
d) O Reilly was the soft target!. CMP had already bared it’s legal fangs – so although CMP was the organisation that sent the letters, it was easier to target O Reilly
e) The whole issue covers conferences only. How many people actually organise conferences? Not many!. Ironically, as a publisher, it’s possible I may well organise a conference on a related topic .. so it ‘could’ affect me IF I called it a web 2.0 conference ..
f) Which brings me to the point .. why would anyone want to call their conference web 2.0? Service mark or not, the association between web 2.0 and a specific conference is well known to almost everyone involved. Have you ever bought a product that looked suspiciously similar to a well known product only to find it was a cheap imitation? Point being .. If I created a conference and called it a similar name to an existing larger conference, I am actually devaluing my brand . Sooner of later, people are bound to find out that ‘my’ event is not related to the ‘original’. At that point, my reputation is damaged for ever. I am not saying that this was the intention in this case, but the concept is valid for conferences in general. Its to protect your brand – that you would not create a similar conference .. Quite irrespective of service mark issues …
g) Thus, in my view, the ‘crowd was not wise’ – the whole issue was not relevant to 99.9% of the people.
h) And then .. there were the ‘child molestation’ posts .. not much to say about that ..
And now some background about my own reasons / views for interest ..
a) Ironically, I had also invited Tim to a different conference in Ireland. With a name like ‘Ajit Jaokar’, I am obviously not ‘Irish’ :) - but last year I spoke at an excellent conference in Dublin – and this year – I am advising the conference itself to make it a lot more global.
Hence, the invite to Tim earlier in the year. Thus, I actually have a very positive view of Irish conferences from personal experience especially because there are so many interesting start-ups there. Hence, I do hope, Tim/ORA will support more conferences in Ireland – and I have a personal interest in promoting this specific conference.
b) I have emulated Tim O Reilly’s strategy. On a personal level, I am also a strong evangelist for openness in the mobile data industry(what I call ‘OpenGardens – as opposed to ‘walled gardens’). With issues like net neutrality looming on the horizon, we all bigger issues to address – than this one
c) On a professional level, my company (futuretext) is also modelled broadly on Reilly but within a specific sector(mobility and digital convergence). I have learnt a lot about publishing in general by reading O Reilly blogs under the ‘Ask Tim’ site. I have tried to emulate the same spirit of openness in my company as well. Reading the web 2 issue blogs, I still believe the spirit of openness is intact at Reilly
My personal, Randian views lead me to respect the rights of an individual – in this case – both Tim and Tom. Having now heard from Tim, I think everyone acted in their best interest, within the parameters that they found themselves in – and that included CMP. I think a Mozilla like resolution may well take place of the outstanding issues. Time (and Tim!) will tell.
Some will be convinced , others not so about the final state of play. However, what I am convinced of is: in most cases , we are addressing the wrong issue. In the sense that unless we are conferences organisers, it really does not affect us directly
In a final ironic twist, I think Tim O Reilly was born in Cork! Speaking as a first generation immigrant myselves (in my case to the UK), you always attach a deep significance to your country of birth (in my case India). So, of all the places in the world .. it’s ironic that it was in Cork that this should happen .. Just a quaint observation.
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May 21, 2006
Mike Arrington is in town ,,
and I look forward to meeting him tomorrow. If you are at this meeting, lets catch up if we can!
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May 5, 2006
futuretext author Tom weiss wins council elections
Hello all
I am happy to announce that Futuretext author Tom Weiss won the council elections from Harrow (conservative).
It’s especially relevant to me because I live in Harrow as well - and I had seen him first hand juggle both his book launch(as his publisher) and his election campaign with great dexterity.
I had the pleasure of meeting Tom and his family last month at the launch of his book. It’s great to see him follow up this month with his election victory. Please join me in congratulating Tom on this great achievement
Photos from last month's book launch event:
From left to right: Ajit Jaokar, Tony Fish, Tom Weiss and Philip Otley(partner - Accenture)
Tom's family at the book launch
From left to right: Jane Weiss, Tom Weiss and Alex Weiss
Posted by ajit at 4:24 PM
April 26, 2006
Why should bloggers not be the stars of a conference?
Hello all,
I am involved with a new concept and seek your feedback.
The basic idea is simple. Today, bloggers are the main influencers in the marketspace. Maybe much more than analysts, researchers etc ..
So, why should bloggers not be the stars of a conference?
I am on the advisory board of a conference which is based on this simple concept. The conference covers wireless and mobile media (mobile / web 2.0 / media 2.0 etc)
We are running with a simple idea : Conference attendees, companies etc would like to meet and know top bloggers. Bloggers meanwhile also want to interact with the community ..
So, why not bring them together?
Initially, it will have a European focus – but I have already had interest from as far away as South Africa and New Zealand!. We define bloggers simply as people who have been running blogs getting a lot of traffic, links etc and who have clear views on the industry(not merely people who post for the sake of it!)
I have two questions
a) I seek your thoughts and feedback on this
b) Can you recommend any bloggers who we should invite?
Posted by ajit at 10:04 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
April 25, 2006
Jonathan schwartz becomes Sun CEO ..
One of the web's highest profile tech bloggers becomes a CEO
congratulations are in order ..
Should be interesting times for Sun ..
Posted by ajit at 2:36 PM | Comments (0)